Box Breath is a four-part breathing technique to help you calm your mind and slow down your heart rate (triggering a parasympathetic or rest and digest response in your nervous system). This pranayama technique calms your heart rate, calms your thoughts, and helps ground and relax your nervous system. It involves an equal, rhythmic cadence breathing in and out with retaining your breath. Breathe in, hold your breath, exhale, hold your breath, and then you repeat this pattern as long as it suits you.
In Sanskrit, Box Breath is called Sama Vritti Pranayama. Sama is roughly translated as “calm” or “tranquility.” Vritti is translated as “of the mind.” Sama Vritti is aptly named as it helps to calm the mind. This is an antidote to Chitta Vritti, or “mind chatter” when your mind is racing with thoughts and being pulled in lots of different directions.
In English, we refer to this practice as Box Breathing. I have created an animation below as a visual. The 4 equal parts of your breath are what give this practice its name.
Precautions and Contraindications
With most breathing practices, please be aware of what your body is telling you and stop at any moment if your body is telling you to. In addition to that, pregnant women and those with high blood pressure are advised to avoid this or any breath practice where you hold your breath. If you are trauma-sensitive or in a state of panic, breath retention can trigger a trauma response. You might feel panicked or uneasy. Please honor your experience and your body and release this technique if you are feeling more anxious rather than less during the practice. Alternative techniques without breath retention are Three-part Breath and Alternate Nostril Breathing.
How to Practice Box Breathing
- Start with your posture. Sit nice and tall on the floor or in a chair with a long spine. Relax your shoulder blades down your back. Relax your abdomen. Now soften your jaw and your cheekbones.
- Before you begin take a few slow, deep centering breaths in through your nose. Exhale slowly and completely out your mouth.
- Breathe in through both nostrils for a count of three (or four, but make each count constant).
- Hold your breath for three, or the same count. Avoid straining to hold your breath.
- Breathe out of both nostrils smoothly for a count of three or an equal count.
- Hold your breath at the end of your exhale for three, or the same count. Avoid straining to hold your breath.
- That is one round, continue as you would like, finishing after you hold your exhale.
- When you are ready release the technique and return to your natural breath.
- Repeat one or two more rounds to keep you centered and feeling calm.
- Sit in stillness for a minute or two and notice how your body feels and how your mind feels.
